Dissension at the Amalgamated Conspiracy Theory Factory
Gonzo Vagabondoing
Bob Patterson as told to Belle Starr, Merry Prankster, Esquire
Animosity, rancor and professional hubris has reared it’s ugly head at The Amalgamated Conspiracy Theory Factory. The columnist summer intern is expressing a desire to skip over the long and arduous process of writing a column every week and wants to proceed to doing a weekly cable TV program chronicling the adventures of a charter member of the Flower Childe generation seeking everything that is commendable and honorable in America today (i.e. truth, justice and the American way).
The honorable outlawyer has noted with displeasure that many conservative media stars augment their paycheck with a vast assortment of money making auxiliary schemes. (Count us in!)
If Edward R. Murrow were alive and broadcasting on CBS Evening News he would have an online store where various items would be available for purchase. Especially since the intern found out how pundits write for free and websites take money to stay up not even dribbling coffee money to the pundit.
In the spirit of On the Road the intern is proposing to travel by van and chronicle the adventure via weekly postings on Youtube (Unless Lonely Planet has a better offer).
Earlier in life, Belle has worked for the Peace Corps in Ethiopia , hitchhiked coast to coast at age fifteen, lived in London and Amsterdam where Belle hosted a weekly radio show on DFM radio televisie (DFMrtv) and produced free concerts (PeaceQuake and radio transmitted from Peoples park, the greek theater and just about anywhere). Live from Berkeley Eshelman Hall with KALX (FM).
That was a good start but now at retirement approaching, this outlawyer is the world’s laziest vagabond and has it down. The proposed TV series would be in the spirit of Neal Cassidy mentoring a beatnik wanna-be who wants to go on the road after graduating from college.
Theoretically, the program will include such auxiliary field trips (perhaps an episode or 2 filmed live in Havana (did you know Jack Paar took the Tonight Show to Havana after the revolution there and interviewed Fidel? How many people wonder if it is safe to drive through Mexico? (Stay Tuned))).
I dare you, Outlawyer to cross post this as your first post on Daily Kos.
Earlier in Life, the world’s laziest journalist has helped friends achieve their goal in life. So when the summer intern proposed the effort to land a gig somewhere on cable TV (Lonely Planet?) we agreed immediately and threw ourselves into the project with full force.
Cable TV is still evolving and may still be ripe for innovative programming (Netflix specials?)
Literature has a long history of books concerning a quest in America. Jack London wrote several installments for this category. Ernie Pyle was paid to travel around the United States to uncover interesting feature stories. Jack Kerouac kept extensive notes about his vagabonding experiences and produced at least one American classic in the genre. Hunter Thompson burst on the literary scene already a legend with his book about the Hell’s Angels. A columnist could do a scholarly book about the topic of roaming writers. (Many of those writers seem to have had ties to the San Francisco Bay Area)
Why is the genre limited to books? Why can’t a writer do a cable TV series chronicling his nomadic experiences?
We heard a report on CBS news radio this week that Playboy magazine will revamp their format. We can only hope this signals a return to the days when Playboy cultivated and nurtured untried writers. they helped the careers of many talented young inexperienced writers. Let’s hope the new and revitalized Playboy will again do this.
A year from now many of the countries best paid pundits will be trying to observe analyze and comment on the presidential election. Unfortunately, a year of intelligent insights about a triple dead heat race (Hillary, Trump, Jeb) is going to get very boring. (Oh well) So we expect to have some time to devote to helping summer intern pitch the idea of an ‘On the Road’ type show for cable TV.
Belle has speculated that show topics would be a visit to the site where the Altamont concert was held (the outlawyer was there for the Stones concert) and a profile of Slab City. Since America never seems to tire of the saga of Venice Beach, a program set there seems to be a given for at least an episode (or opening).
The world’s laziest journalist would love to be the Ed McMahon for such a TV series. If, however, Belle finds that a younger person riding shotgun would help attract the younger demographic audience we will understand. (Playful summer pundit votes for Bob to come along!)
Closing quote: Andy Goudy to Chef Teddy Owen on his birthday “Let’s take you up to Las Vegas and get you some new scars”.
Now the Disc Jockey will play Phil Harris’ “Get out of here with that bumpdabump”, “I’m sticking to the Union” (Are Getty and Armstrong dues paying union members or scab labor?) and Marty Robbins “El Paso” sequel song (probably on youtube).
And now, we wish you Happy Trails! Have a stick a thumb out and see what happens type week.
Aloha!